Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land and Fort Bend: A Winning Team

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COVER STORY | By M.G. Angulo Photos by Nesossi Studios –

Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land’s slogan – “Relax and enjoy the difference” – far surpasses a catchy phrase that rolls well off the tongue. Within that expression is Classic Chevrolet’s commitment to the customers and community it serves, from the products it sells to the faces behind the dealership. And those faces might seem new to some as Classic Chevrolet announced two new members to the dealership’s family: General Manager Jeff Sebastian and General Sales Manager Brandon Sine – two gentlemen who are eager  to continue the longtime bond between the dealership and its surrounding community.

“Business As Usual” With Jeff Sebastian

“We want the community to know at Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land, it’s business as usual,” said Sebastian, who has 20 years experience in the field, including time at Classic Chevrolet Grapevine, which was named the number one dealership in the world nine out of the past 10 years. We plan on continuing on the path of providing the best customer service along with the highest level of community support, and in fact, our plan is to make it even better.”

To date, Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land has the highest customer satisfaction in and around Houston per General Motors based on their customer satisfaction surveys, which Sebastian proudly noted as “a huge accomplishment because it’s based on how we treat our customers.”

To further strengthen his tie with the community, Sebastian, his wife Tiffany and their three children plan to move to Fort Bend County in the new year. “We’ve loved living in The Woodlands, but the people of Fort Bend are different – more family and community oriented,” said Sebastian, noting that “the selflessness” and “the people” were the strongest motivators in the family’s move. “I’m very proud to work in a community and for a company that’s given so much back to the less fortunate.”

Brandon Sine’s Take on the Right Attitude

“The environment at Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land is a whole lot more like family here,” said Sine, who was with Toyota for a decade before coming to Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land. “People are amazingly friendly.  You get a warm, very positive feeling from Fort Bend.”

Sine and his wife Amber live in Katy with their two sons. Prior to entering into the auto industry, Sine was a high school teacher and football coach, and what he brings to the Classic Chevrolet table is his competitive nature. If you ask him, community devotion and competitiveness go hand-in-hand and only works when a team has a positive attitude. “We want to win the day,” said Sine. “I always strive to be the best and get the most out of everyone.

“When you win every day, you’re going to have a great month. We don’t want to be number one in Fort Bend; we want to be number one in all of Texas, and we will get there. We have to help people in Fort Bend, and the more cars we sell, the more we can help people.

“Giving back – it’s part of our game plan,” he added. “It puts a smile on my face to give back to the community.”

The Classic Chevrolet Vision

With the new year fast approaching, Classic Chevrolet has major plans, including building on the dealership’s already established platform with the community and to develop more relationships with individuals and organizations.

“Our slogan is ‘Relax and enjoy the difference,’” Sebastian said. “From the outside looking in, I never knew what that  meant. Now that I’m here, I know what that is. Doing business with Classic is a very unique experience in the automotive industry. It really is different. It’s better, and that’s exactly what our customers tell us.

Customer interaction is one of the most important aspects of Sebastian’s job, and his immediate goal is “to meet more people in the community. I’m here for advice, to get to know them and to get to know the community whether they want to buy a vehicle from me or not.”

Sebastian even offered a sneak peek of what 2017 will bring to Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land, which he summed up as a revitalized look at Chevys, like the new Equinox and the five-door Cruze. According to Sebastian, customers need to know that the Chevrolet quality is better than it’s ever been.

“People who haven’t bought a Chevrolet in decades are buying and saying it’s the best vehicle they’ve ever had,” Sebastian said. “If you haven’t driven a domestic product lately, I invite you to come out and drive one of our products.”

The Classic Chevrolet Difference

Sine said it is his goal to make the dealership known “not only as number one in the area, but as the spectacular dealership in Fort Bend – the one you want to visit.”

“We tell our sales team: When our customers leave here, we want them to say that is the best experience they’ve ever had at a dealership,” Sebastian said, adding that while Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land is rated number one in the scores, part of the dealership’s vision this year is to improve those scores.

“Our scores range in mid-90s – our competitors in the mid-70s. It’s because of the way we negotiate transactions,” Sebastian explained. “Our customers only deal with their salesman, who doesn’t run back and forth to a manager behind a glass wall. Customers love that they can deal one-on-one with one individual. Plus, our customers know if they need to talk to the general manager or general sales manager, we are accessible. We are right here, and want to talk with them.”

Classic Chevrolet Business Development and Community Relations Manger Ray Aguilar added that the way the dealership does business is always in the best interest of the customer. “We’re not just going to sell you a car. We’re going to help you do what’s right for you.”

Aguilar shared the story of a Rosenberg customer who learned this first-hand when he wanted to trade in his Tahoe for a new one. He was told by the Classic Chevrolet sales team that his vehicle did not have enough equity for a good trade, so the customer was advised to keep his vehicle for another year before to trading it in. Disappointed, he went to another dealership, and it was ready to do the trade, but the customer said no, because he realized after consulting with his family it was a bad deal. He ultimately ended up writing a note to Classic Chevrolet essentially thanking them for their honesty. That, Aguilar said, is the Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land difference.

Continued Community Commitment

Those honest dealings extend beyond the dealership’s walls. Sebastian said Classic Chevrolet’s focus remains on operating and contributing to the community, calling the effort “the most important” task of the dealership. “Classic Chevrolet is not going to change course,” he said.

Classic Chevrolet will remain engaged by continuing monthly involvement in all aspects of the Fort Bend community and by keeping Aguilar involved. “Ray plays a large role in our community involvement, participating in activities, volunteering, the list goes on and on,” Sebastian said. “We really haven’t curtailed our community outreach. In fact, we’ve gotten more involved.”

Aguilar said community support is not just about writing a check. It is about the dealership’s devotion to helping, like its role in the Brazos River Flood relief. Aguilar, who is still delivering furniture to flood victims, personally participated in nearly 40 house clean ups during the countywide tragedy.

“The mold was shoulder high,” Aguilar recalled. “Anything that was on the ground, we took it out and put it on the trailer. We did that for days, and we didn’t stop. Those people needed help. Seniors were out there sitting on cots where they were sleeping. At times you were so dead tired, you would get emotional. I’m so glad we were able to help.”

The dealership is also a proud supporter of law enforcement and will host its annual signature Chili Cook-off for the seventh year in 2017. It also recently hosted a Facebook campaign for the Fort Bend County Women’s Center and helped the Fort Bend Symphony move equipment.

“Jeff and Brandon put their money — and their support — where their mouth is,” Aguilar said. “Brandon will call and tell me about a situation where we just couldn’t give money but there was a need we could fill.”

Aguilar said he is thrilled Sebastian and Sine have joined the Classic Chevrolet family. “I respect him. I trust him. He can call me at any time,” Aguilar said of Sine. “Brandon has a smile on his face all of the time. His positivity is infectious.

“And not one time has Jeff said no. He always says, ‘How can we help them?’ It’s our job to be the best community resource we can be, and we take that responsibility seriously.”

Visit www.classicchevysugarland.com or call 281-491-9000 for more information about Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land.